When a woman thinks of her engagement, she dreams of having the most romantic day of her life- with the exception of her wedding, of course. Fulfill those dreamy expectations with a romantic proposal that she will never forget! The key here is to plan out every aspect of your proposal to be as romantic as possible- we’re talking Hollywood-style romance! And that includes candles, flowers, chocolates, and any other way you can think of to set the mood.

Plan the perfect time to stage the proposal. You’ll want to make sure it’s an evening when she won’t feel rushed or exhausted, so try to avoid any high pressure work days. The ideal time would probably be on a Saturday, when the two of you would already have plans together. Get a girlfriend or two in on the act- ask them to plan an afternoon of shopping or other activity while you transform her apartment or bedroom into a fairytale setting.

Create a special playlist on your iPod for the big night- Tony Bennet, Nora Jones, John Legend, and Marvin Gaye have some classic love songs. Every woman loves roses. Visit your local florist and get as many bouquets as your budget allows- and don’t just stop with the typical red roses. Yellow, pink and even white roses make for a beautiful setting. Next stop is the candle store- Pier One and Target have a wide variety of scents available for a very affordable cost. Many women opt for vanilla-scented- they don’t overpower the room, instead providing a subtle lasting fragrance. While you’re on your shopping trip, don’t forget to pick up a box of chocolates (Godiva are always a safe bet!) and of course a bottle of champagne to celebrate her acceptance.

Now it’s time to set the stage. Arrange ahead of time for her landlord or neighbor to let you into her apartment- no one can resist a romantic proposal story, and most likely they have seen you around enough times to trust you’re not a crook! Hook up your iPod to play on her laptop or stereo, and select the playlist you created earlier. Next go through the apartment, scattering rose petals, lighting candles and placing the roses in a heart shape on her bed. Arrange for her friend to text you as they’re leaving their shopping trip. When you hear the door open, get ready- you’re about to experience the beginning of your life together.

One more thing- make sure you have a camera to document the evening- in thirty years from now, you’ll definitely want to remind of her of how romantic two were long ago!

Sometimes it’s hard to know when a guy is interested. As we know, men are not as open as women when it comes to their feelings, so it’s important to take a few subtle clues.

He Shows Interest
A sure sign that a guy is interested is he asks questions about you when you talk. He listens closely and keeps eye contact. If you are out with a group of your friends and a guy you are interested in talks with you most of the time and not with his guy buddies, this is a sign he is interested. In your conversation, if he smiles a lot and is inquisitive when you talk, he’s into you. Also, if you find that he is around you a lot – for instance, he shows up at your birthday party and stays the whole time, or tries to make plans just to hang out among you and your friends, he is interested.

He Reaches Out to You
A sure sign that a guy is interested is if he communicates with you regularly when there may be no reason. You find that he is emailing you to ask random questions or dropping you a text to say hi and see what you are up to. Women often wonder why guys don’t call them, when they think that he is interested. While guys are not usually phone talkers anyway, he may not be calling because he is not interested or maybe just wants to be friends. But on the flipside, if he does call you and reach out to you, it’s a clear signal he likes you.

He’s Happy Around You
When you are with the guy, does he seem really happy? Does he smile a lot and seem comfortable? If your answers are yes to these questions, he is interested in you. In addition to being happy around you, he may also say nice things and be actively interested in what’s going on in your life. These are all sure signs that he is into you and you can be clear that he is interested.

He Goes Out of His Way
If you find that this guy you have an eye on goes out of his way to hang out with you or do nice things, you are probably right to think he likes you. Maybe he goes out of his way to pick you up, or comes to see you but he knows he should be working. If he is making a conscious effort that is outside of his normal routine, you can be sure he likes you.

After talking with a woman for awhile you realize that you like her and want her to understand that you are interested. The conversation is going great, there is laughter, smiles and flirting and she seems interested too. But like everyone knows, this is when there is that awkward point where you are not quite sure what to do next to show her you are interested. In this situation, there are a few things you can do to show a woman you are interested.

Be Forward
Before you part with the woman, you must ask for her number. And better yet, instead of asking her out at a later time, ask her right then. As your conversation is winding down, go ahead and make plans to see her again. It is as simple as saying “I want to see you again,” or “Can we meet again?” or “Let’s meet up next week.” Then when you call her, you’ve already established that you want to meet up and this effort will show her you are interested.

Also, to show a woman you are interested don’t wait three days to call her. Reach out to her sooner – you are only giving her the wrong impression if you wait to call her. This action will only send her mixed messages after what she thought was a great conversation and good connection. You like the woman, why not call right away? Be forward and confident – you don’t want to pass up the opportunity to show someone you like that you are interested and want to see them again.

Listen and Engage
A good way to show a woman you are interested is to pay attention to her and be a good conversationalist and listener. Women value a deep conversation. And if they feel like you are engaged and listening, this is a sign to them that you are interested. For instance, say you are at a bar with a group of your guy buddies, but you have been talking to a woman you like. You are torn between rejoining your buddies or talking to her, but if you want to show her you are interested, stay with the woman. In addition, be an active listener, smile, be funny and ask questions. Keep eye contact, compliment her and perhaps causally try to get closer to her. These are all sure signals to show a woman you are interested in her.

Just remember, if you want to show a woman you are interested, be open and let her know your feelings. It can be as simple as asking to see the person again, or saying “I like your company.” Don’t be shy but instead be confident and not afraid to show a woman you are interested.

One of the most common complaints that women have about men is that they don’t listen. Women don’t understand why men don’t listen, but they think their mates’ minds are elsewhere when they are talking. To make a relationship work, go on a successful date or even talk to a woman in a bar, you must really listen – it will be appreciated by the woman and you will start to understand the person’s feelings and point of view.

Act and Be Interested
You must be an active listener. To do this, act interested and be interested in what the woman is saying. Really listen to them – you might be surprised what she has to say. Ask questions. Be attentive. Fully understand what the woman is saying and be inquisitive. Your willingness to listen and be interested in conversation will be admired by women and considered a good trait. Don’t interrupt your mate in conversation – if you are interrupting that means you were not listening and instead so focused on what you want to say or what you want to hear.

Eye Contact
Another key part in listening to women and being an active listener is to maintain eye contact. If you maintain eye contact, you mind naturally focuses on the conversation giving you the proper focus to listen intently. Try not to let your eye contact wander while listening. This is especially hard when there are distractions or when you are in a crowded place. Don’t let your eye wander to the people walking behind your mate or the television or music. Keep your focus and eye contact and you will enable yourself to listen well to women.

Focus
In addition to eye contact, focus is very important. Don’t be distracted while you are listening. Try to clear your head of distractions and the focus on the person talking to you. This will also enhance your eye contact. While there may be a big game on in the background, you may need to take a quick break and focus on listening to something important from your mate. It does take effort to be a good listener, but in the long run it will be of benefit to you.

Consciously listening and focusing on the person’s point of view will make you more understanding of their perspective and give you a better idea of how they feel. This whole concept begins with active listening. If you stay focused, keep eye contact and stay inquisitive, you will be successful in listening to women.

Men universally want to be that funny, attractive guy that women fall for. But what men don’t understand is that not all women are looking for the stereotypical “it” guy. Each woman has different taste and a different idea of what they are looking for. What makes you that funny, attractive guy is not a new shirt or hair cut but it is how you carry yourself and the presentation of your personality.  Every man can be funny and attractive to women in their own way.

Be Yourself
When trying to attract women, the most important thing to remember is to be confident in who you are. A man that has confidence is very appealing to a woman. Don’t try to be someone you aren’t – women see right through this and it is not attractive. Everyone is funny and attractive to someone and it is all a matter of being yourself, acting confident and being open to meeting all types of different people.

Take Things Lightly, But Not Too Much
When trying to attract women, it’s helpful to maintain a good balance between funny and obnoxious. Try to be careful about what you say in a joking or sarcastic way – a new person may not always follow your sense and humor and your attempt to be funny may offend or turn a person off.

Be sure to get a feeling for the person before telling that new joke or making fun of a situation. It’s very important to have a light-hearted spirit when trying to attract women, but don’t take it too far. Keep an eye on your alcohol consumption – being or acting too drunk is not funny and can be a turn off. Instead, keep your cool, have fun and maintain an optimistic attitude.  Essentially, if you are relaxed and having a good time, you will be surprised how easy it is to attract women.

Use your Natural Charm and Sense of Humor
Every guy has the ability to turn on their own personal charm in the right situations. Using the right amount of natural charm combined with your own sense of humor is a great combination for attracting women. Women love a guy who can say just the right thing in a funny, charming way.  If you go further and combine your delicate use of charm with perhaps a compliment for the new woman, this is a winning combination! The bottom line is be yourself and don’t go out of your way to be the funniest person in the bar – it may not be what that special woman for you is looking for in a guy.